Closure



March 17, 1931. J 5 SHARP ET AL 796,729

CLOSURE Filed April 18. 1930 .n'n m.- a an wrrncssls INVENTOR Patented Mar. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN a. smear, or imw xnnsmeron, rnnnmvmm, AND Ransom: w. mvnn, or mama, mzw Yoax, assrenons 'ro anoxmom comramr or mnmca, or

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A COBPO BATION O1 PENNSYLVANIA CLOSURE Application filed April 18,

The invention relates to container closures,"

and while unlimited to containers for any particular purpose, it is especially applicable to milk bottles, and is accordingly so described herein. 7 The chief object is to provide a container closure, particularly for milk bottles including a cap which can be easily applied and.

removed and which, when applied, protects the lip or mouth of the container against contamination.

Another object is to provide a closure of the type mentioned which, after removal, may used as a replacement cover or cap for the container.

A further ob'ect is to provide a closure of the t e which, in being removed, becomes so mod1 ed in appearance as to show that the container has been opened after the orig- 2 inal sealing thereof.

e invention is'illustrated in the accompanying drawings, of which Fig. 1 is a side View partially in section of the upper portion of a m1lk bottle, a cap being shown before it is in position to be applied to it; Fig. 2 a similar view of the bottle with the cap applied to it; Fig. 3 a sectional view ta en on the line III-III, Fig. 1, with the cap removed; Fig. 4 a transverse sectional view taken on the line IV--IV, Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 a sectional view, similar to Fig. 4, showin a modification of construction.

In t e practice of this invention in its preferred form, a bottle or like container is provided with a peripheral annular bead ad- JOiILlIlf its mout space projections immediately below the bead. Each of these projections mer es at its top with the outer edge of the bea and from thence it tapers laterally and downwardly to the surface of the container neck below the head. A closure cap formed of pliable material, preferably 'thin pliable metal, and having a continuous uninterrupted skirt, is molded in position on the and with a plurality of- 1980. Serial No. 445,840.

mouth of the container in such a way that the lower portion of the skirt is provided with detents which engage the lower portion of the bead and also the projections below .it. By turning the cap angularly upon the container, the tapering sides of the projections graduall detents of the cap s 'rt until they lie in a cylindrical surface defined by the outer edge of the container bead, with the result that the cap may be easily removed. Thereafter the cap may be used as a reclosure.

In the illustrative embodiment of the invention, having reference first to Fig. 1, there is shown the upper portion of a milk bottle 1 provided with a peripheral annular head 2 (Fig. 3) adjacent to its mouth.

Below this bead the container is providedwith a plurality of spaced projections 3, each of which merges at its top with the outer edge of the bead, as indicated at 4.

force outwardly the Each of these projections also tapers downwardly and inwardly untilit merges with the neck of the bottle as indicated at 5, and also tapers laterally and inwardly at each side until it similarly merges with the neck of the bottle asindicated at 6 and .7. .Each projection is accordingly provided with two slopin faces 8 and 9.

Preerably the sides 8 and 9 of each projection 3 slope or taper inwardly equal amounts, so that each projection is symmetrical about a vertical central plane. How-- ever, if desired, each projection may be asymmetrical as indicated by the projections 3a in Fig. 5, one of its sides, 6a, mer ing more gradually into the neck of t e bottlethan its other side 7 0.

Above the bottle there is shown a ca 10 preferably of thin pliable metal, suc

aluminum, in position to be a plied to the mouth of the bottle. If desired, the cap may be provided interiorly with a linin of waxed aper or a disc of suitable sea ing materia When the cap is 'placed on the container, lateral inward pressure is applied to its skirt by means of a pneumatic die or similar instrumentality to cause the skirt to conform to the bead 2 and engage its lower portion, and to also conform to the upper portions of projections 3. Thus the cap is provided with detents which engage .the bead and projections which hold itin its applied position with sufiicient firmness for its intended purpose, the cap then sealing the top of the container and protecting its mouth against contamination.

To remove the cap it is only necessary to rotate it on the bottle, the cap being formed of su'fliciently pliable metal or other ma? terial to permit of such rotation without exerting undue effort. Bysuch rotation of the cap, the sides of'the projections?) gradually remove the detents from the cap skirt, it usually being necessary to so rotate the cap only an angular amount equal to the spacing,v ofthe projections. The cap may then be used as a reclosure seal for the bottle to close its top, and further protect its mouth against contamination. Because the skirt is plain after it has been removed from the bottle, that fact shows that the botiile has been opened after being originally sea ed. I

tages of the invention may be fully attained by the-use of metal of such thinness and pliability that it may beconformed readily to the projection on the container, and that, without the use of tools, the cap may be turned by hand oh the container to obliterate the detents formed in it when applied to the container. By way of example, and not of limitation, it has been found that commercial sheet aluminum.0035 of an inch in thiclmess is suitable for forming the caps.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, we have explained the principle and operation of our invention, and have illustrated and described what we consider to represent its best embodiment. However, we desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described. a

We claim:

1. The combination container provided with a peripheral annular bead adjoining its mouth, and with a plurality of spaced projections each merging at its top with the outer edge of saidhead and from thence tapering laterally and downwardly to the surface of the container neck below said bead, of a closure cap formed of pliable material applied to the mouth of the container and having a shit molded inpositionon the mouth of the com v e5 tainer to engage said projectionsand the As has been stated, cap 10 is preferably formed of thin pliable metal. The advanwith a bottle or like 7 provided with a peripheral annular bead adjoining its mouth, and with a plurality of spaced projections each merging at its top central portion with the outer edge of said head and from thence tapering downwardly and laterally uniformly at each side to thesurface of the container neck below said head, of a closure cap formed of pliable material applied to the mouth of the container and having a skirt molded in position on the mouth of the. container to engage said projections and the lower portion of said bead by detents so formed in the skirt,- whereby said cap may be loosened for removal and the detents of its skirt simultaneously obliterated by .turning the cap angularly upon the container.

3. Thecombination with a bottle or like container provided with a peripheral annular bead adjoining its mouth, and with a plurality of spaced projections each merging at its top central portion with the outer edge of saidbe'ad and from thence taperin downwardly and laterally uniformly at eac side to the surface of the container neck below saidbead, of a closure cap formed of thin pliable metal applied to the mouth of the container and having a continuous and uninterrupted skirt molded in position on the mouth of the container to engage said projections and the lower portion of said bead by detents so formed in the skirt,

whereby said cap may be loosened for remaintain the cap in sealing contact with said head against accidental displacement but to,permit the removal of the cap bymanual rotation and conse uent expansion of the depressed portions 0% the skirt to the diameter of the bead, whereby the cap can then be removed without collapsing or other substantial distortion thereof.

5. The combination with a bottle or like container 'rovided with a peripheral annular bea adjoining its mouth, and with a projection margin at its top with the outer edge of said d and from thence tapering laterally and downwardl to the surface of the container neck heibw said bead, of a closure cap formed of pliable material applied to the mouth of the container and having a, skirt molded in position on the mouth of the container to engage said 5 projection and the lower portion of said bead by detents so formed in the skirt, whereby said ca may be loosened for removal and the etents of its skirt simultaneously obliterated by turning the cap 10 anglarly upon the container.

n testimony whereof, we si 11 our names. JOHN E. S RP.

RAYMOND W. NIVER. 

